With reference to FIG. 1, a universal socket 10 is shown and is further described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,715. The universal socket 10 includes a housing 12 that defines a fastener receiving hole 14. The fastener receiving hole 14 can have an opening 16 with a substantially hexagonal cross-section that receives a fastener 18. A plate 20 has a hexagonal cross-section and includes projections 22 for engaging with depressions 24 and curved slots 26 formed in the housing 12. The projections 22 on the plate 20 cooperate with the depressions 24 and the curve slots 26 on the housing 12 to allow the plate 20 to be secured in a middle portion of the fastener receiving hole 14 of the housing 12.
The plate 20 includes a number of apertures 30 that each slidably supports a rod 32. Each of the rods 32 include a head 34 formed on one end for engaging with the plate 20 and an outer thread 36 formed on the other end. Each of said rods 32 connect to a hexagonal post 40 that each include six flat surfaces 42 formed on an outer periphery of the hexagonal post 40. Each of the hexagonal post 40 includes an inner thread 44 formed in one end to couple with the outer thread 36 of the rod 32. In this regard, the hexagonal post 40 is secured to and moves in concert with the rods 32. Springs 50 are engaged on the rods 32 and compressed between the plate 24 and each of the hexagonal post, 40. The springs 50 urge the hexagonal post 40 away from the plate 20 and toward the opening 16 of the fastener receiving hole 14. The heads 34 of the rods 32 contain the spring members 50 between the plate 20 and the heads 34 to keep the rods 32 connected to the plate 20. As the spring members 50 push the hexagonal post 40 towards the opening 16. In this arrangement, each of the rods 32 must be individually threaded into each of the hexagonal posts 40, which can require each of the hexagonal post 40 be held while a tool rotates each of the rods 32 with the springs 50 into each of the hexagonal post 40 to build the assembly.